Page 35 of Aidan

When was the last time I had the time to sit around and watch the sun set? At least before Da died. It almost feels wrong to not be busy doing…something. Of course, ever since Aidan planted the idea of opening an art studio in my head, I haven’t been able to let it go. Except there’s so much that goes into one, not the least of which is a lot of money. Of which I have none. I’d had to drop out of my master’s program when my Mum died, so I could always go back and finish that.

Needing a distraction, I pivot in my seat toward Aidan. “Tell me about this casino of yours.”

“We bought it from its previous owner several years ago. Caitlín continuously reminds us that she deserves all the credit for the idea. Her Italian brother-in-law’s organization runs a highly successful one in Brooklyn, which is what made her suggest it.”

I hold up my hand. “Wait. Her ‘Italian brother-in-law’s organization’? Like your father’s organization?”

Aidan grins like a madman. “Emilio Jacob Ricci is head of the Italian syndicate and the most powerful man in all of Brooklyn. I’m pretty sure Nathan told me he even has the mayor of the city in his pocket.”

My eyes widen. Good god, they’re all criminals. I rub my hand across my forehead. What have I gotten us into? “Continue. Casino. Crime organizations.”

His crazy smile turns into a smirk at my unintentional alliteration. “There’s not much more to tell. It was a derelict building that we bought, gutted, and turned into the most lucrative operation in Dublin. It’s obscenely exclusive. Our clientele are extremely wealthy and pay for the privilege of being a member. Finn’s in charge of the day-to-day operations.”

I’ve never been to a casino before. There’s never been a reason to go. Plus, all of them require a person to be a member. I’ll admit to being curious what it’s like. “What’s it called?”

“Anamacha Caillte.”

I gape. “You called your casino ‘Lost Souls’?”

“All credit for that goes to Cian. He found the irony of it amusing.”

“Your entire family sounds quite interesting.” That’s about the kindest word I can use.

Aidan barks out a laugh. “We’re all a bit crazy.”

“I mean, you said it.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to us after a while.”

Oddly, I find that reassuring. They all sound a bit colorful. I admit to being a little excited to meet everyone. Especially Caitlín and Imogen.I hope they like me. I somehow never manage to keep girl friends for long. I’m not sure what that says about me.

The streets turn more residential and narrow with traffic going only one way, until Aidan parks at a curb in front of a metal signed labeled “Donnelly family only”. There are perks to being the owners, I suppose. We exit the vehicle and approach a brick multi-story building. A narrow section juts out and large letters stacked on top of each other spell out the name of the casino.

Aidan grabs the door handle, pauses, and glances over at me. He waggles his eyebrows. “You ready for the corruption to begin?”

I snort. “Bring it on.”

CHAPTER17

Aidan

Dim lights illuminatethe interior of the casino, but it’s mostly covered in shadows. There’s a marked difference between the place during the day when it’s completely silent and when the doors open and the buzz of bets being placed fills the air.

Sorcha glances around, those eyes of hers soaking everything in. She turns to me once she’s given the place a careful inspection. Her expression is blank and it’s obvious she’s unimpressed. “This is it? Why did I expect it to be gaudy and ostentatious? It looks like a boring business office with a bunch of empty felt-covered tables.”

I roar with laughter. “Be careful, you might hurt Caitlín’s feelings if she heard you say that. We loosely designed it based on Emilio’s casino, but far less grand. It’s also intentionally made to look like a boardroom. It makes the players feel more like they’re making lucrative business deals instead of gambling away their hard-earned cash.”

We make our way across the gaming floor, weaving between Blackjack tables and Texas Hold ‘em tables, toward the elevator. I’m sure security has already spotted us. Unless he’s occupied, they’ve already notified Finn we’re here.

“I suspect it looks a bit different with all the lights on and people occupying the seats at the tables,” Sorcha concedes.

“I’ll bring you back one night and you can judge for yourself. I’ll even teach you how to play if you want.”

Her eyes widen at that. “Really?”

“Who knows, you might even win a hand or two with beginner’s luck.” I press the elevator button.

The bell dings and the door slides open. I sweep my hand out and she steps in first. I’m right behind her and then we’re moving. A few seconds later, we reach the top floor. I place my hand on her lower back and escort her down the hall to where Finn’s office is located. Past experience has taught me to knock. I have no desire for Sorcha to witness my brother’s bare ass pumping if he’s fucking his latest woman inside.

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